US President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that the United States will immediately restart nuclear weapons testing, ending a ban that has been in place since 1992. The statement came just before his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Busan, South Korea, giving the announcement a strong political and strategic impact.

Trump said the move was necessary to keep up with Russia and China, accusing both countries of continuing their nuclear tests while the US had stopped. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said, “The United States has more nuclear weapons than any other country. Russia is second and China a distant third, but will be even within five years.” He added that he had instructed the Department of War to begin nuclear testing “on an equal basis” with other countries.

The announcement marks a historic shift in US nuclear policy, as it would be the first live nuclear test in over 30 years. The last such test took place in September 1992 at the Nevada Test Site. Since then, the US has relied on computer simulations and non-explosive testing to check the safety and performance of its weapons.

If this plan is carried out, it would break a long-standing tradition of restraint and could increase tensions among global powers. Experts warn that this could trigger a new arms race and undermine global agreements like the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), which bans all nuclear explosions. Although the US signed the CTBT, it never officially approved it in Congress.

Trump’s decision comes at a time of growing global nuclear competition. Recently, Russia announced successful tests of new nuclear-powered weapons, including the Burevestnik cruise missile and the Poseidon underwater torpedo, which can bypass US missile defence systems.

Meanwhile, China has rapidly expanded its nuclear arsenal, doubling its warheads from about 300 in 2020 to nearly 600 today, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). The think tank predicts China could have over 1,000 nuclear weapons by 2030.

Experts say Trump’s move could destabilize global peace efforts and create a new era of nuclear competition, as countries may feel pressured to restart their own testing programs in response to the US decision.